Although the intellectual movement called "The Enlightenment" is usually associated with the 18th century, its roots in fact go back much further. But before we explore those roots, we need to define the term. This is one of those rare historical movements which in fact named itself. Certain thinkers and writers, primarily in London and Paris, believed that they were more enlightened than their compatriots and set out to enlighten them. They believed that human reason could be used to combat ignorance, superstition, and tyranny and to build a better world. Their principal targets were religion (embodied in France in the Catholic Church) and the domination of society by a hereditary aristocracy.(boisestate.edu)
A basic list of these Enlightenment values would include the following:
a deep commitment to reason,
a trust in the emerging modern sciences to solve problems and provide control over nature,
a commitment to the idea of progress in material wealth and in human civility,
a belief in the essential goodness of human nature,
an emphasis upon the individual as master of his fate and fortune, and
an engagement with the public sphere of discussion and action
Enlightenment
Although the intellectual movement called "The Enlightenment" is usually associated with the 18th century, its roots in fact go back much further. But before we explore those roots, we need to define the term. This is one of those rare historical movements which in fact named itself. Certain thinkers and writers, primarily in London and Paris, believed that they were more enlightened than their compatriots and set out to enlighten them. They believed that human reason could be used to combat ignorance, superstition, and tyranny and to build a better world. Their principal targets were religion (embodied in France in the Catholic Church) and the domination of society by a hereditary aristocracy.(boisestate.edu)A basic list of these Enlightenment values would include the following:
http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/hum_303/enlightenment.htm
European Enlightenment
http://mars.wnec.edu/~grempel/courses/wc2/lectures/enlightenment.html